


London Pass

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:34:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22781062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: While Garrison’s away, the cons will play . . .  and include his sisters.
Comments: 19
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canon characters are my own and not for use in other people's stories.

The next morning, Craig pulled Terry into his office and shut the door. She watched him go to the wall safe and take out the moneybox. That piqued her curiosity.

“What’s up, Craig?” she asked.

He turned back to her and handed her some money from the box. It was a lot of money. 

“I’m going to be gone for a week. I’ll let the guys have a forty-eight-hour pass to London.” He grinned at her. “Let Actor set up the accommodations. He usually does it. I just need you to go in with them and pay for the room and go back and pick them up later.”

“Okay,” said Terry slowly. “You trust them in London by themselves?”

“Pretty much,” replied Craig. “If they get themselves thrown in jail, you might have to go bail them out. But, they’re usually pretty good about staying out of trouble when they go to London.”

Terry was a little surprised that Craig would let them do something like this and also let her be in charge. “What are you going to be doing?”

“I can’t tell you,” said Craig.

“Great,” she said with a touch of sarcasm. “Do you need me to drive you somewhere and pick you up?”

“No,” replied Garrison. “I’ll take the jeep and let you have the Packard.”

He didn’t say anything to the men until he was packed and ready to go out the door. Four pair of eyes moved between the grip and the lieutenant.

“Goin’ somewhere, Warden?” asked Casino, cards in front of him forgotten.

“I have another mission,” said Craig. “You have a forty-eight hour pass to London. Terry’s in charge. Try to stay out of trouble.”

“I am sure there will be no trouble, Lieutenant,” said Actor smoothly. “How long will you be gone this time?”

“A week.”

“Well, be careful,” admonished Terry, coming down the stairs. “Sure you don’t want me to drive you?”

“Positive.”

Goniff grinned broadly. “See, Warden don’t like ‘er driving either.”

“Thanks Goniff,” said Terry with a grimace.

“It has nothing to do with her driving ability,” said Garrison. It was the company he would have with him. He wasn’t ready yet to introduce Jenny to his sister, and never to his men.

Terry smirked at her brother. She had the feeling Craig didn’t want her to see the girlfriend. “Say hi,” she said.

“I will be sure to give Major Richards your regards,” said Craig back with a smart grin of his own. He let himself out the door before Terry could come up with anything else.

The door had barely closed when Casino tossed his cards on the table. “Oh boy, London here we come.”

Chief turned his head to look at the con man from his window perch. “Hey, Actor, can you get us that place you did the last time? Nice place.”

Actor shook his head. “I believe the Lieutenant said Teresa is in charge.”

Terry walked over behind Casino and started playing his solitaire game over his shoulder. “You are in charge of accommodations,” she told Actor. “I am in charge of transportation and finances.” Casino graced her with a dirty look as she moved cards around on the table in front of him and snatched the cards from her. Terry ignored him and continued speaking to Actor. “I don’t care where you stay as long as I have enough money to pay for it.”

“In that case, I would be pleased to book us at the Windsor,” said Actor.

Goniff looked brightly at Terry. “Hey, Love, you doing anything for the next couple days?”

“Not really,” replied Terry. “I can drive you guys back and forth. No problem.”

Actor smiled at her. “Would you like to come with us?”

“What? You mean for the whole two days?”

“Yes,” Actor grinned now. “I know you like to dance.”

The idea of staying in London for the two days had not entered Terry’s mind, but it was a tempting thought.

“There’s only one problem,” said Terry. “Chris has people staying at her flat. And I don’t have the cash on me to pay for a room at a hotel right now.”

“You may stay with us,” said Actor.

“I’m sorry?” asked Terry, not sure she had heard right.

Casino stepped forward, “Sure Babe, we get a suite. You can have your own bedroom. We can rearrange the sleeping quarters.”

The idea of sharing a suite with them did not bother Terry, too much. She did it on missions all the time. Granted her brother was usually there. But this was a little different. She looked rather quizzically at Actor. “Yeah, but . . . uh . . . what if . . . I mean . . .”

“What if . . .?,” urged Actor.

Terry frowned and then shrugged. “Okay, what if you guys pick up girls. Wouldn’t it be a little awkward?”

“Naw,” said Casino offhandedly. “If that happens, we usually go somewhere else. Besides, it don’t happen that often. The only one of us what usually scores is Actor and his little black book.”

Terry shot an amused look at Actor and said to Casino, “Hey, he doesn’t even need the little black book.”

Actor got a smug expression on his face.

“So, what do you say, Love?” asked Goniff eagerly.

Terry nodded, “Okay. But I get to keep the car.”

“Agreed,” said Actor.

Card games were forgotten as Terry and the other three went upstairs to get packed while Actor got on the phone and called London.

There was a knock on Terry’s door as she was packing her bag. She opened the door and let Actor in. She wondered what he wanted, but he didn’t say anything right away. Instead he studied the clothes laid out on her bed.

“Why don’t you bring that cream evening gown you have?” suggested the con man. “I will take you dancing.”

Terry raised an eyebrow. “Is Craig paying you to do this again?”

Actor looked askance at her. “You really must get more confidence in yourself, Little One. You are an excellent dancer and I do not need to be bribed to wish to dance with you. I enjoy it when we are on a mission. It would be nice to enjoy it without having to watch for trouble.”

Terry had to admit she really did enjoy dancing with the Italian. She walked over to the open armoire and took out the cream gown. As she brought it over to the bed, she said with a smile, “I would be delighted to go dancing with you.”

“Wonderful,” said Actor with a grin.

He left her and went to his room to pack. As he was carefully folding his tuxedo and putting his dancing shoes in his grip, he pondered on what had possessed him to agree so wholeheartedly to take the girl along with them. It would definitely put a cramp on any plans he might have made for tonight. Well, there would still be tomorrow night. He had to admit, he took a certain pleasure from dancing with Teresa. She was the perfect height with heels on. She knew all the dances and executed them well. She smelled and felt good. And she was the Warden’s sister and she was too young and not one to trifle with.

GGGGG

Chief put the last of the bags in the trunk of the Packard. He watched Casino and Goniff loudly fooling around and dreaded getting in the back with them. It was automatically assumed Terry would ride in the front with Actor.

Terry was standing next to Actor by the steps, watching the antics. “Do they settle down or can we drop them off a bridge somewhere?

Actor shook his head. “Hopefully they will settle down before we get there. Once we are there, they go off on their own.”

“Do I have to bail them out?” asked Terry in mock resignation.

“The Warden would probably expect that.”

“The Warden has some strange expectations,” said Terry. She pulled the roll of money out of her pocket and stuffed it in Actor’s pocket.

Actor looked at her with a crooked smile. “What are you doing?”

“Craig put me in charge of money and car.” Terry looked up at the Italian. “I don’t want to be the CO. You made the reservations, you pay for it. Can’t I just be the Second?”

Actor laughed, “Of course you can, Little One.” They started walking toward the car. “Would you like me to drive?”

“Sure,” said Terry. “I know everyone hates my driving.”

“Just Casino,” corrected Actor. “You should not have frightened him.”

Actor took the keys from her and opened the passenger door. Terry was about to get in when she noticed Chief standing by the back of the car. He was looking at Casino and Goniff in the backseat with a resigned expression. Taking a deep breath, he gave a sigh. Terry startled the young man by stepping back and grabbing his hand. He was not used to anyone just grabbing him and stiffened. Terry ignored it and pulled him to the open front seat door.

“I’ll sit in the middle,” she said with a wink at him. She was pleased to actually get a smile out of him.

Actor went around the front of the vehicle and got in the driver’s side. He looked across Terry at the Indian as Chief shut the door. “Smart move,” he said dryly.

GGGGG

Arriving in London in the early afternoon, Actor pulled over to the curb a block from the Windsor Hotel. Casino and Goniff climbed out of the back. Chief got out and pulled Terry out with him. The Indian took Actor’s place behind the wheel. Actor helped Terry into the back seat and joined her. There had been no discussion of this, and the men seemed to find this a routine occurrence. 

As Chief drove off, leaving the other two men on the curb, Terry smoothed her dress and turned to Actor. “Are we suddenly on a mission?”

He chuckled, “No, cara, this is how we will get five of us into the suite and only pay for three. We will just have a different twist on it than we usually do. Play along with it.”

Terry looked at him and laughed. “Do you guys ever do anything legal?”

“What would be the fun in that?” asked Actor seriously. "Switch your ring to the other hand," he instructed.

Terry took the gold band used during their cons from the ring finger of her right hand and slipped it onto her left.

Chief pulled to the curb in front of the hotel. A doorman opened the passenger door and held an elbow out to Terry. She placed a hand lightly on the arm and elegantly left the car. Actor climbed out behind her. The Italian escorted her through the revolving door into the marble floored lobby. Terry accompanied him to the registration desk. He was his usual aristocratic self, so she became the same.

The manager came out to personally assist the Italian. "Ah, Count Mancini, it is a pleasure to have you back at our hotel.”

“Thank you,” replied Actor with just the right touch of class. “May I present my wife, the Contessa Teresa Mancini.”

“A pleasure, Countess,” said the manager.

Terry inclined her head with a gracious smile. She waited patiently as Actor signed the registration and paid for the stay in advance with cash. By the time they headed for the elevator, Chief and the bellboy had caught up, bringing their luggage on a cart. Terry kept her hand tucked into the crook of Actor’s arm on the way to the top floor. She strove to maintain an air of disinterest as they were escorted into the main room of the largest suite, Terry had ever seen. The main room had marble floors, two sofas with white velvet upholstery, several large comfortable overstuffed chairs, a wet bar, a sideboard, and a large white table with a bright fresh flower arrangement in the center. Actor tipped the bellman. Terry waited to be sure he had gone down the elevator before she burst out laughing.

“You don’t do anything in a small way, do you?” she asked Actor.

“Hey, don’t knock it,” said Chief. “He’s good at what he does, and it works for us.”

Terry grinned at Chief. “Yes, and he's finally married me. I’m tired of being a mistress all the time.”

“I am merely trying to safeguard your reputation,” said Actor.

“Oh, yeah. I live alone in an isolated house with five men and I’m checked into a decadent suite in a posh hotel alone with four men. What reputation?”

Terry had been given the middle bedroom. Entering it, she cocked a jaundiced eye at the leather grip sitting on the floor beside her suitcase and makeup kit. With a mischievous smile, she carried the grip to the door, opened the door, set the grip down and eased it into the little hallway with her foot. Her door being in a direct line with the living room gave Chief a view of what she was doing. He grinned at her. She grinned back.

“Hey, Actor, I think you’ve been evicted,” drawled the Indian.

“I beg your pardon?” asked the Italian. He followed Chief’s gaze. The bedroom door closed, leaving his grip in front of it. “Ah, yes.” The con man walked forward and picked up his bag, turning to take it to the room on the left he would be sharing with Chief.

“It was a good try,” said the quiet drawl.

Actor stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head to look at the Indian. Chief very rarely joked about anything. “I was not trying,” the con man said firmly and with a hint of indignation.

Chief ignored him and continued digging his bag from the pile that had been left in the living room, so Actor brushed it off as some strange utterance and started toward the bedroom.

“It was still a good try.”


	2. Chapter 2

It was another hour before Casino and Goniff stepped off the elevator and knocked on the door to the suite. Terry was in the main room and opened the door for them. 

“And where have you two been?” she asked with a grin. She could tell by the ale breath where they had been.

“We waited at the Mucky Duck,” popped off Goniff.

“We can’t come up right away,” explained Casino, heading for the wet bar. “We gotta wait for things to slow down before we try to sneak up the elevator.” He poured himself a bourbon and carried it with him as he picked up his bag off the floor and followed Goniff to the bedroom on the right. 

Shaking her head at the two, Terry picked up the telephone on the side table and called her sister’s apartment. Dirk answered the phone. 

“Hi Dirk,” said Terry. “Do me a favor. If you see Chris tell her I’m at the Windsor in the Westminster Suite. If she wants me ask for the Countess Teresa Mancini. We’ll be here for two nights.”

“Countess?” questioned Dirk. “You’re over here six months and you’re married all ready?”

Terry laughed, “Ask Chris, she’ll explain it.”

Getting off the phone, Terry was unsure what was going on. Chief had left a little earlier saying he was going to walk around one of the parks. Actor was in his bedroom. Mutt and Jeff were in theirs. Terry got a book form her suitcase she had brought from the mansion and stretched out on the sofa. If she had been back at the mansion alone, this is what she would have been doing anyway.

It was almost four when Actor emerged from the bedroom. He was wearing dark pants, a white shirt open at the throat with a tan ascot and carrying a dark brown jacket. The jacket was draped carefully over the back of a chair. Terry kept a surreptitious eye on the con man while appearing engrossed in her book. It was his turn to use the telephone. Terry listened to a conversation in French. Actor identified himself as Count Mancini and made a reservation for three people at six o’clock.

Hanging up the phone, he addressed the young woman on the sofa. “Cara, I hope you don’t mind. I obtained reservations for an early dinner at a little French restaurant just a short walk from here. It is what you would call a ‘hole in the wall’, but the chef is superb, and the atmosphere is quiet.” He forbore to say ‘intimate.’

“That sounds wonderful,” said Terry. “I was going to ask you what everyone does about dinner.”

Actor relaxed into a high-backed overstuffed chair crossing his legs and pulled his pipe from his pocket, lighting it with his gold lighter. “Goniff informed me earlier he and Casino are meeting 'a couple birds' at the bar. I assume their dinner will either be liquid or whatever the pub has to offer.”

Terry lowered her book on her stomach and stared at Actor in delighted amusement. “Goniff found himself a bird?”

Actor shook his head. “It is more likely Casino procured one for him. Casino has his own agenda, but he does look out for Goniff’s interests.”

“Well, that takes care of those two,” said Terry. “You made reservations for three. You, me and Chief?”

Actor nodded.

“Does Chief like French food?” asked Terry dubiously.

“I am attempting to introduce his palate to more refined tastes,” replied Actor.

Terry just hoped Chief was willing to have his palate introduced to more refined tastes. She eyed the Italian curiously. “How come you aren’t going out to dinner with one of you lady friends?”

Actor eyed her back, “Tonight, My Countess, I am your husband. I am strictly yours for the night. I thought dinner early, come back to change, then an evening of dancing at the ballroom downstairs here at the hotel. It has an excellent dance floor and a versatile band. Tomorrow night however, you are on your own, cara.”

Terry laughed. “Actor, you don’t have to babysit me. I am perfectly fine on my own. Not that I don’t enjoy your company, caro.”

“I do not consider myself to be a babysitter,” replied the Italian with dignity. “And I find your company enjoyable also.”

Terry smiled, “Well in that case, My Dear Conte, I will be happy to accompany you to dinner and dancing.”

She had caught the wording of his being hers for the night and wondered if he had at all meant husbandly pursuits. Probably not, but she wouldn’t put it past him. She wasn’t about to address that one, even though she wondered just how good he was at those pursuits. That was a dangerous thought. She pushed it from her mind and buried her nose back in her book. A minute later, she cast her eyes stealthily toward the man. He was sitting serenely in the chair, smoking his pipe.

Chief returned an hour later. He eyed the two in the main room. Terry was lying on the sofa with a book and Actor was sitting in a chair also reading. The other two men were not in sight.

“So where are Casino and Goniff?” he asked out of idle curiosity.

“They went out to the bar a little bit ago,” replied Terry.

Actor looked up at the younger man. “I have made reservations at a French restaurant for us at six. Teresa and I would be pleased if you would join us.”

Chief became cautious. “Sounds expensive,” he said. He did not voice it also sounded over his head. He would never admit to that.

“The Warden is paying for it,” replied Actor, nonchalantly.

The younger man hesitated and glanced at Terry. She smiled encouragingly and gave him a slow blink of her eyes he took to mean it was okay.

“Come on, Chiefy,” said the girl. “Just chalk it up to a new experience.”

He looked back and forth between the two. They seemed sincere. Actor did not play tricks on him and neither did Terry. Well, he had to eat and as long as he didn’t have to pay for it . . . Chief took in what Actor was wearing. It was casually formal. At least it wasn’t a tux. He could manage that. He had not brought his tux, not expecting to need it.

“Okay,” he said. “Uh, thanks.”

“Good,” said Terry, cheerfully.

Chief went to his room to change.

Terry waited until he had left before getting up from the sofa, leaving her book behind. She perched on the arm of Actor’s chair and reached a hand out to his chin, tilting his head back to look at her. His eyebrows rose in question. Hers came together in a frown.

“The Warden is paying for dinner?” she asked dubiously. “Just how much money did Craig give us?”

“Not that much, cara,” said Actor with a crooked grin. “I paid for half the cost of the suite. I have nothing else to spend my money on at this time.”

Terry stared at him. “Just how rich are you?”

“I am comfortable,” was the pat answer.

Terry shook her head. “No. I am becoming comfortable. You are way beyond that.”

The other side of the con man’s mouth rose to match its mate. “That is an indelicate thing to ask a gentleman, Teresa. Especially one who is buying your dinner.”

“You’re not going to tell me,” guessed Terry correctly.

“No, I am not.” He tapped her hip with the backs of his fingers. “Go get changed.”

A half hour later, Actor, Terry and Chief were on the sidewalk ambling away from the Windsor. The duskily lit street was fairly deserted, except for an occasional couple or small group of women. Terry’s hand was tucked in the crook of Actor’s right elbow. She reached a hand behind and caught Chief’s sleeve, pulling him up alongside her. She tucked her right hand in the young man’s left elbow. A broad smile came to her face.

“Ah, how lucky can I be?” she said breezily. “I have two handsome gents taking me to dinner.”

Actor looked down at her with a raised eyebrow in amusement. 

Chief turned his head to look at her and wonder if she had been hitting the wet bar in the suite before they had left. Though comfortable now in more formal attire, he was still apprehensive about eating in a fancy restaurant and hoped he wouldn’t make a fool of himself.

Actor had been correct about the place. It was rather nondescript from the outside, possibly due to the blackout curtains. He held the door for Teresa and Chief and followed them inside. The main room was brick walled with wooden floors. Round linen covered tables with candlelit lamps filled the room. The place was packed. 

The maitre d’, a short Frenchman, hurried up to Actor and greeted him gushingly as Count Mancini in French. A short conversation followed between the two men in the same language before the host turned to lead them to their table. Actor escorted Teresa with a hand on the small of her back, while Chief brought up the rear. They wound their way through the tables to a separate small room in the back that held a circular, white linen covered table set for three. Actor seated Teresa and took the chair to her right. Chief sat down in the chair to her left. A young curly haired waitress in a short skirt and white apron hurried in to hand them their menus. She smiled invitingly at Actor, who started to turn on the charm. That was until Terry’s foot connected with his shin. He nodded a dismissing thank you to the waitress and turned his attention to the menu. When the waitress left, Actor turned a tight-lipped face to Terry.

She smiled pleasantly back at him. “Quit flirting with the wait staff, oh husband of mine,” she teased.

“This could be grounds for divorce,” he shot back at her, reaching down to rub the offended shin.

“Now, now, you did say you were mine for tonight. I intend to see that you keep that promise.”

The twinkle in her eyes cut through his irritation. “Yes, My Love,” he replied with a bit of exaggeration.

Chief’s face split into a grin. He had always witnessed the interplay between Terry and Actor from a distance. Close up, he had to admit Terry had balls teasing the con man like that. The two played off each other well. 

He hid his smile behind the menu. The smile faded as he tried to read the menu. It was totally in French and there were no prices. It was making him very self-conscious. To his relief, Terry leaned over and talked softly to him.

“Actor will give the orders for us,” she said. “Okay, the first course is a choice of soup, snails, or salad.”

“Salad,” said Chief readily. It seemed the safest choice. 

“I’ll sneak you some of my escargot,” Terry whispered. “Don’t listen to Goniff. They’re good.” She pointed down the row of the main course offerings. “Chicken in wine sauce with mushrooms and vegetables. Fish steamed in paper with vegetables. And that one is breaded veal in a creamy wine sauce with potatoes and sautéed veggies.”

Chief liked chicken and he liked mushrooms, so he chose that one.

Terry straightened and told Actor what Chief wanted and what she wanted in French. When the waitress returned, Actor began placing the order with Teresa’s first. When he referred to Terry as his wife, the effervescent smile on the girl’s face became a little strained. This amused Terry greatly. After ordering the food, the Italian ordered a bottle of red wine. 

He turned to Teresa and asked her in French if she would prefer a glass of white wine with her veal. She replied the red he had ordered would be fine. 

After the waitress left, Actor explained in a casual voice to Chief, “Our chicken is in a red wine sauce which is why I ordered red. With Teresa’s veal either a red or a white would be appropriate, which is why I asked her preference.” His voice was lacking its usual slightly condescending tone so Chief took no offense.

Willing to continue the lessons, Chief asked, “What about the fish?”

“That would be white,” answered Actor.

A basket of hot crusty bread arrived, along with a small saucer of more butter than rationing allowed. The three each took a piece of the bread and placed it on their bread dish with a bit of the butter. Chief hesitated. He watched Terry and Actor and followed what they were doing. Terry’s eyes widened at the first bite of bread.

“Hey, no sawdust!” She smiled toward Actor and spoke to Chief. “I think I like going to dinner with him. Real bread and extra butter.”

“Merely my continental charm,” said the Italian.

Terry turned to Chief. “Is that what he calls it now?”

It brought a genuine grin from the Indian.

When the first course arrived, Chief was at a loss again. There was too much silverware on the table and both Terry and Actor had ordered escargot, which came with a special clamp and pick, negating the need for the tableware. 

Intent on his first snail, Actor did not look up, but merely stated, “Start on the outside and work your way toward the plate.” He delicately placed the morsel on his tongue and savored it.

Terry had her first one on the end of her little fork. “Pardon my lack of etiquette, My Husband,” she said to Actor. 

She turned to Chief and held the fork out for him to take a bite. He looked at her dubiously. She nodded to him to go ahead. Hesitantly, he took the piece between his teeth. After a couple chews, he shot a surprised look at Terry’s grinning face.

“That’s good!”

“Told you. Want some more?” she offered. 

Chief shook his head. “No, but that is good. Goniff don’t know what he’s talkin’ about.”

“That should be obvious,” remarked the con man.

“Be nice,” rebuked Terry in French.

Chief shook his head. “Never thought I would eat a snail and like it. These French people eat strange things.”

Actor chuckled. “I grew up with escargots. I suppose it is what you are used to. Now you and Teresa have both said you have eaten rattlesnake. That to me is strange.”

“Those snails are better than snake,” admitted Chief.

“Maybe if we had cooked it in butter and garlic . . .” mused Terry.

“Always threaded it on a stick and roasted it over an open fire,” said Chief.

Terry snickered. “So, did we. It wasn’t something we could bring home to Ma.”

Chief swallowed a bite of salad. He was beginning to get a little more comfortable with the elegant con man. “So, Actor, you ever eaten lizard?”

“No-o-o,” said the Italian slowly.

“Kinda like eatin’ a bird,” pronounced the Indian.

Terry laughed. “Well, where Chief is from I bet he never had polpo,” she said to Actor.

“Ah,” the con man smiled with appreciation. “Boiled or fried.”

“Fried, of course,” returned Terry.

“What’s polpo?” asked Chief dubiously.

“Octopus,” replied Terry.

Chief gave Actor a look of disbelief. “I think I’ll pass on that one.”

“I think I will pass on lizard,” he replied. Curious, he asked, “Why would you ever eat a lizard?”

“You get hungry enough, you eat anything.” Chief ate another bite of salad. “I ran away from the Indian school when I was a kid. Knew if I went home, I’d get sent back. So I hid out in the hills. Food’s kinda scarce in the desert. I ate snake and lizard and prickly pear.”

“Is that not a type of cactus?” Now Actor’s curiosity was piqued.

“Yeah. You can strip the spines off the leaves and cook the pad.”

“The fruit makes good jelly I hear,” said Terry.

“This area you are from,” said Actor. “It sounds very different from the parts of America I lived in.”

Chief shrugged. “It probably is. Guess it’s like you said; I suppose it’s what you’re used to. It’s beautiful in an empty sorta way.”

Actor and Terry were both surprised to have Chief volunteer any information about his past. 

The bantering through the rest of meal between Terry and Actor and their nonchalant attitude toward his lack of knowledge put Chief at ease. He found himself carefully watching everything the other two did and said and filed it away in his mind. If he could remember all this, maybe he would be able to take Chris out to dinner and not look ignorant.

As they were finishing their main courses, Actor turned to Terry and said, “Before you ask, cara, yes they do. They will be bringing out a tray with éclairs, napoleons, and cream puffs.” Terry looked at him hopefully. He shook his head, “No, we are each having our own. I am getting a whole one for you.”

Chief watched the interaction between the two. He wondered if they realized just how attuned they were to each other. He had seen them play off one another on a con, but this was the first he had really witnessed them doing it when they weren’t conning. 

All three had dessert off the tray and coffee. The waitress brought a book with the check enclosed. Terry’s eyes watched Actor open the book and sign the check. He inserted some money, but not enough to cover the entire tab. Terry assumed it was the tip for the waitress. Well, so much for using Craig’s money to eat with.

They were outside and walking back to the hotel when Terry pleasantly spoke in Italian. “That was sneaky.”

“Stai zitti,” Actor replied just as pleasantly.

Terry smiled and wrapped her right arm around the con man’s left, giving a little squeeze. Her other hand held Chief’s. The rest of the walk was in companionable silence.

Up in the suite, Chief waited for Terry to go to her room before approaching Actor. He was a little uncomfortable and looked down at the floor. “Actor?”

“Yes, Chief?” said Actor, removing his jacket.

“Uh, thanks for dinner,” said Chief quietly.

“We are both glad you agreed to come,” said Actor. His voice quieted. “If you ever have any questions, just ask. I would be happy to explain anything I can.”

Chief nodded. “You don’t treat me like I’m stupid.”

Actor looked at him with concern. “I would never do that. You are not stupid. You are in a world you are not accustomed to. I would be the same in the world you grew up in. I have no concept of what you and Teresa talk about sometimes.” He paused. “I would like to learn more about your desert southwest.”

“I didn’t think there was anything you don’t know about,” said Chief, looking up with a grin.

“There are a few things,” said Actor with a crooked grin. “Not that I would admit that in public.”

The two men looked at each other and laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

Actor was still in the bedroom getting ready. Terry swore he primped more than she did. It afforded her time in the main room with Chief. She walked up to the young man with a concerned expression on her face. Her white-gloved hands reached up to straighten his collar and smooth his jacket lapels.

“Why don’t you come with us?” offered Terry. “I don’t like seeing you left by yourself.”

“I’m fine,” assured Chief. “You know I do better alone.”

“Yes,” acknowledged Terry, “but it isn’t right. What are you going to do tonight?

Chief shrugged, “There’s a pub a couple doors down. I figure I’ll see how much I can win at darts before they quit playing against me.”

“Well, if you get bored, you come to the ballroom, or whatever that is Actor’s taking me to downstairs, and you join us. Okay?” She tried to give him a stern look.

The corners of his mouth twitched. “Okay.”

“You promise,” ordered Terry quietly.

Chief grinned, “Okay, I promise.”

Terry motioned him closer. He bent his head, thinking she was going to whisper something to him. He was surprised when she kissed his cheek. He pulled back a little self-consciously. Terry smiled indulgently at him then gave a small grin  
“Oops,” she said. “Sorry. Lipstick.” She held up her white-gloved hands. Chief wiped his cheek. Terry smiled, “You go have some fun. If Crystal shows up, I’ll sic her on you. She’ll probably buy you a drink.”

“I’ll buy her one,” he said quietly. He still looked self conscious when he said to Terry, “Lady, you are beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

Actor came out of the bedroom. Chief nodded to him and left them alone.

“I worry about him,” said Terry, watching him leave. “He’s so young to be so alone.”

“He is supposed to be two years older than you, My Dear,” said Actor with amusement. “And he seems to prefer being alone. But I am sure with time, you will change that.”

“More likely Chris will, if she would stick around.”

“Yes, your sister does seem attracted to him and vice versa.”

Terry finally turned around and had her first look at Actor. She stared. And she had thought he looked good in an SS uniform. Her eyes traveled slowly and appreciatively from the top of his head, past his amused countenance, across the broad shoulders and chest down to the tight waist encased in a cummerbund to the incredibly long legs atop shiny shoes. He made the tuxedo look good. 

She sucked in her cheeks and looked up into his hazel eyes. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but you are the handsomest hunk of Italian male I have seen in a very long time.”

“Only an Italian one, cara?” he teased.

Terry tilted her head and grinned. “All right, the handsomest any kind of male. I can see I will be lucky to get one dance with you tonight, caro.”

“Ah, but you forget,” he said, taking her hand in his, “I am your husband tonight. All my dances are reserved for you. However, you are so beautiful I will be fighting all the men off.”

Terry laughed. Oh, the manure was getting deep here, she thought to herself. Actor bent down and they exchanged a chaste kiss. He tucked her hand inside his elbow. 

“Shall we,” he gestured to the door.

“Let’s.” she smiled back.

GGGGG

Terry was having a most wonderful evening. It would remain in her mind as a precious memory for the rest of her life. Not only did they waltz, but Actor surprised her with a tango. True to his word, he danced only with her. She turned down enough offers, that they finally quit coming. 

When they weren’t dancing, they sat at the candlelit white-linened table and talked and sipped wine. He told her about life pulling cons on the Riviera and she told him about escorting her father to the high society parties in Washington. Their conversations swirled around between English, Italian and French. It had rapidly become natural for them to treat each other as though they were lovers. The con was beginning to become second nature to them both. Terry could relax because she knew Actor was always in control. With no brother or teammates around, they could keep up the pretense without worry. 

They talked and danced and danced and talked. Terry was fascinated by the stories Actor told her of the many places he had been before prison and the war. He regaled her with the parties and people, careful to never mention any of the less prosperous times or anything about his childhood, and most certainly nothing about Rome.

Terry told him a little about growing up in Montana. She carefully avoided details about living in New York, except to compare notes about certain restaurants and museums. Not that she had been able to afford to frequent the restaurants Actor had.

GGGGG

Becoming bored with the smoky, loud atmosphere of the pub, Chief left his half-filled glass of ale on the bar and tossed some change for a tip beside it. His prowess at darts had quickly left him with no opponents. He had no idea where Casino and Goniff were by then, but they supposedly had ‘dates.’ Chief quietly made his way through the blackout curtains and stepped out the door into the darkness. Hands in pockets, he made his way through the damp chill back to the hotel.

In the lobby, he paused. The suite would be empty. Terry had told him to find her and Actor in the ballroom if he got bored. He had to admit to himself after the initial uneasiness he had felt in the restaurant, he had really enjoyed the company of the two. Terry was becoming like a sister and Actor really wasn’t so bad once you got to know him. Or at least know the part of him he allowed others to see. It wouldn't hurt to see what the two were doing. 

Chief took the elevator to the lower level, stepped out into a hallway and moved across to the open double doorway to the ballroom. He paused inside the door and looked around. There were many round tables spaced throughout the room with enough distance between to give a bit of privacy for conversation. Many of the tables had couples in a variety of dress from evening gowns and tuxedos to formal uniforms and cocktail dresses. There was a huge dance floor on the far half of the room, behind which was the band. The swing beat of Tommy Dorsey bounced through the air. There were younger couples on the dance floor moving energetically to the rhythm.

The Indian's keen eyes scanned the tables. He knew he wouldn't find Actor out there dancing to swing. Finally, he spotted the two at a far corner and eased his way silently between tables in that direction. He stopped short and watched as Actor leaned forward and kissed Terry. The elegant con man must have said something witty because the young woman laughed. She laid a hand atop the Italian's and held it. 

Chief decided it would be best if he didn't join them. They looked like they were very engrossed in each other and he didn't want to intrude. It was hard to tell if there was a romance going on there. They were very open with their affection, but everything seemed to be a part of the never-ending con they were pulling. Whatever the relationship was, it did not stop Actor from chasing skirts and Terry didn't seem at all bothered when he did. In fact, it seemed to amuse her.

The younger man eased his way back to the door and walked to the elevator, sure he had not been spotted by the two. Only now what? He didn't feel like going back to the pub. The bar upstairs was a little too fancy for his taste. That left the empty suite.   
Entering the elevator, Chief pushed the button for the top floor. The elevator slowly rose to stop on the first floor. The doors opened and his eyes swept the room out of habit, but with disinterest . . . until he spotted a familiar figure and dark head of hair. Chris was standing, back to the elevator, at the registration desk, speaking with one of the staff. Chief's hand shot out to catch the closing elevator door and he pushed himself out. The young woman turned to leave.

"Crystal!" Chief called.

The younger Garrison girl paused like a doe and turned her head to look at him across the room. Her face broke into a welcoming smile. "Rainey!" she called back to him. They met in the middle of the lobby. "I didn't know where you were," she said. "I went up to the suite, but nobody was there."

"Terry and Actor are downstairs in the ballroom. I'm not sure where Casino and Goniff are." Chief eyed the young woman with approval. She was wearing a dark green cocktail dress with high heels that brought her up to a nice height. 

"I'm glad you saw me," she said. She now eyed him with approval. He was looking very handsome. 

"You want to go down and sit with Terry and Actor?" offered Chief. He was a little uneasy about taking her into a bar and sitting by themselves. Not good at small talk, he wasn't sure of what he would say to her. Certainly not the things he wanted to say, like how he wanted to hold and kiss her.

"Sure," Chris answered amiably. She didn't care where they went or what they did as long she was with him.

Chief tried to remember how the big Italian acted with a woman. He took the coat she was carrying and put it over his arm and then held his other elbow out to the young woman. Crystal smiled and placed her hand in the crook of his arm, allowing him to guide her back toward the elevator.

"Nice dress," said Chief. Oh, that was really smart, he thought in self-disgust.

"Thank you," replied Chris, hiding her amusement at his nervousness. "Nice suit."

"Thanks," he said.

They stepped into the empty elevator car and Chief pushed the button for the lower level. The two looked at each other and both laughed. It broke the ice and put Chief at ease. On the lower level, they exited the elevator and moved into the ballroom, Chief leading the way. Chris held his hand and followed him to the table. After sitting down, she scanned the dance floor. Actor was easy to spot with his height and bearing. 

“Where’s Terry?” she asked and then stopped and stared as she realized the elegant woman in Actor’s arms was her sister. “Is that Terry?” She had never seen her sister with her hair up before and arms in above the elbow white gloves. 

Chief smiled, “Yup.”

Chris grinned. “O-o-oh, Sister, you have come a long way from the ranch.” She shot a glance at Chief. “They are good.”

Chief grinned. “You ought to see them on a con.”

“Apparently she got over her difficulties working with him.”

“They just needed to get used to each other.”

Chris saw Actor kiss Terry’s forehead. “If they get any more used to each other, Craig’s going to be busting heads.”

Chief looked at her, puzzled at that remark. Chris was too busy watching her sister to notice.

GGGGG

It was not a waltz this time, but just a slow dance. Terry was held snugly against Actor's tall, firm body. Her left hand lightly rested on his muscular upper arm, her right in his left hand with fingers closed around his thumb. His right hand was splayed warmly across the middle of her back. Terry’s head seemed to fit naturally on his chest where his chin could rest against her forehead. For some reason he just felt so right.

“I am very glad you came with us, Teresa,” he whispered to her. “I hope you are enjoying this evening as much as I am.”

“I’m very glad I came along too. And yes, I am,” she whispered back. She smiled as his lips brushed against her forehead.

The dance ended and they turned to go back to their table. Christine and Chief were sitting there watching them. The two stood up as Terry and Actor approached.

“I didn’t even have to sic her on you,” said Terry with a grin to Chief.

“Actually, he found me,” said Chris.

“All right if we join you?” asked Chief.

“Of course,” said Actor.

Christine walked up to the Italian and gave him the continental greeting of a air kiss on both cheeks. “My you are looking quite handsome tonight, Sir,” she grinned at him.

“I already told him that,” said Terry. “Careful, you’ll give him a swelled head.”

Chief held Terry’s chair for her, and Actor held Christine’s. The men sat opposite each other. Actor signaled the waiter for another bottle of wine.

“Gee, Craig needs to go away more often,” said Chris jokingly. “Where is he anyway?”

“He won’t tell me,” said Terry. She looked at Actor. “He tells you everything. Do you know?”

“No,” Actor shook his head. “He is being very closed mouthed about this.”

“The boy needs a woman,” said Chris mischievously, knowing the men were not aware Craig had one.

“Don’t we all,” sighed Actor.

“Excuse me?” 

Actor saw the amusement in Terry’s green eyes. He patted her hand. “I am fully aware I am your husband tonight. Even though it is in name only.”

“A marriage of convenience,” Chief said to Chris.

Terry laughed, “Was that a joke, Chiefy?”

He tried to look at her indignantly. “I can come out with one once in awhile.”

They sat at the table and drank wine for a while, talking about what Chief had been doing prior to arriving and where Chris had been. Terry was scheming the whole time. She reached under the table and poked Actor in the outside of his near leg. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, letting her get close to his ear. 

“Next slow dance, invite Chris so I can teach Chief,” whispered Terry.

Actor pulled back and gave her a smile of acquiesce. Terry leaned forward and kissed him teasingly. When they separated, Chief was looking at his glass of wine uncomfortably. Christine was eying her sister with a smile of amusement.

“Getting the hang of it now?” she asked. “Before we couldn’t get you to kiss him.”

“Quick study,” said Actor drolly.

“Good teacher,” said Terry with a grin.

“One of these days, Craig’s going to ship you back to Washington if you aren’t careful,” warned Chris, half in jest.

“No, he won’t,” said Terry, confidently. “I’m blackmailing him.”

“With what?” asked Actor.

“Never you mind, caro,” smiled Terry slyly. Looking back at Chris she grinned, “I could always go home and send Cinder over.”

The younger girl almost inhaled her wine. “Oh, could you imagine?”

The two girls looked at each other and said at the same time, “Casino!”

Terry was laughing hard. “She’d kill him in the first hour.”

“Your sister, Cinder?” asked Actor. “You make her sound terrible.”

Chris decided to explain. “Cinder is Craig’s twin sister.”

“The Warden has a twin?” asked Chief in surprise.

Terry nodded. “Put a wig and a dress on Craig and you’ve got Cinder. She’s been prickly since the day they were born.”

“Probably because he’s better looking,” chortled Chris. “Sorry,” she said to the men. “We joke about her and tease her to her face, but we love her.” 

“We’ll be good now,” promised Terry settling down.

The conversation went back to mundane things. The band started with a slow dance. Actor stood up and went to Crystal, holding out his hand, “Would you care to dance?”

The girl looked up at the con man in surprise. “Thank you, I’d love to.”

She took his hand and allowed her to escort her to the dance floor.

Terry grinned at Chief. “Come on, Geronimo, let’s hit the dance floor.”

“Oh, no,” said Chief, allowing her to get away with the nickname. “You know I don’t know how,” he said embarrassed.

“That’s why you’re going with me. I’m gonna teach you.”

Chief shook his head.

“Rainey, you want to be able to dance with Chris, don’t you?” He looked up at her and nodded. Terry smiled and said in a softer tone, “Then come on. I’ll lead until you get the hang of it. It’s easy.”

Against his better judgment, the young man allowed Terry to take his hand and pull him onto the dance floor. To his surprise, she tucked herself up close to him. “Now don’t think about it. Just feel the rhythm of the music.” She guided him in the first steps. The man had an innate sense of rhythm that he didn’t know he had. After a minute, Terry let him lead. “See?” she said softly. “You can do it.” 

The song was a long one. Christine had her head against Actor’s shoulder. She wasn’t sure why she was oft times a bit uncomfortable around the man. Right now she felt good. She almost envied Terry. The man was an excellent dancer. She spotted Terry dancing with Chief and her head popped up, almost jarring Actor's jaw. “She’s got Chief dancing,” she said in wonder.

“She said she was going to teach him,” said Actor. He maneuvered them close to the other couple, swallowing a smile of amusement. 

The two sisters exchanged looks. “Switch?” said Terry.

Chris looked up at the Italian, “Thank you, Actor.”

Terry winked at Chief. The girls switched partners. Actor guided them away from the other couple. Terry tilted her head back and looked up at the Italian. “Thank you, caro.”

“You are very welcome, tesoro,” he replied.

Terry smiled at the new term of endearment. She would have to remember that one. With a contented smile she let him pull her in close as they glided slowly around the dance floor. Terry had a hard time stifling a laugh when the big hand splayed across the small of her back slipped lower and stayed there.

Actor was secretly pleased the girl did not object to the more intimate move. She had a delightful young body, soft and firm in all the right places. He gave himself a mental shake. Nothing could be done about tonight, but tomorrow night he must find himself some female companionship. The girl was becoming entirely too enticing.

In the meantime, Christine was tucked up against Chief, savoring the firm strong man she could almost feel beneath the suit. It was the first time since Nick Bradford's death that she found herself so attracted to a man. Something about the Indian seemed slightly mysterious and slightly familiar. He was so quiet and almost shy. It made her want to find out what was hiding behind the careful manner of the man.

"And you said you didn't know how to dance," she teased softly.

"'S easy when you have a good partner," he said back.

Chris tilted her head back to look at him. "I hope you don't mind I called you Rainey in the lobby. It seemed better than yelling Chief."

"You can call me Rainey," he said. "I don't think anybody besides Terry and the Warden know it's my name."

Chris tucked her head back under his chin. "Well, maybe I'll just call you that in private."

"What do you like to be called?" asked Chief curiously. "I've heard you called three different names."

"Chris, Christine, Crystal," replied the girl. "Anything but Chandelier."

"Who calls you that?" asked the Indian in surprise.

"Dirk," she answered. "He's one of the group I'm with."

"OSS?" whispered Chief.

Chris shook her head against him. "Not anymore. Maquis, Free French, Resistance . . ."

"That's too dangerous for you," said Chief with an unexpected feeling of protectiveness.

"And what you're doing isn't," she asked him back.

"That's different," he answered. "We've been trained for it."

"From what I hear you didn't get much training before Craig got hold of you four. Let's just say mine was 'on the job'."

"Why do you do it?" asked Chief.

"It started out to avenge Nick's death. Then I saw what is going on in Europe and I wanted to help stop it." She looked up at him. "Nick was my boyfriend in New York. I was living with him while Terry was living with his brother, Jake. Does that disgust you?"  
Chief tightened his arm around her. It should have bothered him, but it didn't. "No. You're not loose. I think you would be very loyal to someone you liked . . . or loved."

"I guess I am."

The dance ended and so did that line of conversation. 

The two couples made their way back to the table, the men holding the chairs for the women. Actor had moved his chair closer to Terry's and casually draped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned minutely into him. 

The conversation continued, as did the wine. Christine was watching her older sister. She almost lost the train of the conversation when Actor began absently running the back of a finger up and down Teresa's neck. The older girl did nothing to stop him.

"Um, Gentlemen, could you excuse me," said Chris. "I need to check my makeup." She sent a significant glance at Terry.

"I think I'll go with her," said Terry getting the message.

Chris was already headed toward the lady's room by the time Terry got out of her seat. With an amused smile, the auburn head bent close to the Italian ear. 

"You're going to get me in trouble tonight, caro."

Actor looked up at her questioningly. "I am innocent," he objected none to strenuously.

Terry laughed, "That is not a word I would associate with you."

"Your virtue is safe, cara," Actor said in Italian.

"So is yours," she replied in the same language.

"That is what I am afraid of," he said mournfully in English.

This elicited a grin from Terry. She dipped her head and kissed his temple before following her sister.

Chief leaned back in his chair and studied the older man. "Ain't none of my business, Actor . . ."

"No, it is not," interrupted the con man a tad sharply. His voice mellowed. "It is a game. I am trying to build up her confidence again. I am sure she is fully aware of it."

"I don't think Chris is," remarked Chief. "They are a protective bunch, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are," agreed Actor. An eyebrow cocked up. "Do I detect some interest between you and Christine?"

Chief nodded self-consciously. "I wondered if I could ask you something."

"Of course you may," said Actor now curious.

"That restaurant," Chief started. "I would like to take Chris out to dinner tomorrow. It's outta my price range isn't it?"

"Probably," agreed Actor. He had to be careful here. "However, there is still some of the Lieutenant's funds left. I have no need of it, and I doubt Casino or Goniff do. There should be enough to cover dinner. Would you like me to make reservations for you in the morning?"

Chief nodded, still self-conscious about letting the con man in on his personal life.

"Reservations for Mr. Sands and friend?" The Indian looked at him sharply. Actor smiled kindly. "I have read your dossier." The corner of Actor's mouth twitched upward. "It has almost as many discrepancies in it as my own."

In the lady's room, Chris turned on her older sister. "What is with you two? You said there isn't anything between you two."

"There isn't," assured Terry as she applied more lipstick.

"Didn't look that way," shot back Chris, running a comb through her hair.

"He's trying to build my confidence back up. I know it, but I don't want him to know I know it."

Christine shook her head. "I know you, Sister. You can't tell me you aren't attracted to him."

"Of course I'm attracted to him," said Terry. "I'd have to be dead not to be." It was said in an off-handed manner. "What about you and Chief?"

"He's interesting," said Chris slowly.

"And interested," added Terry. "When we go back, you might move your chair a little closer. That boy might could use a little proddin'." Terry slipped back into a Montana ranch dialect.

Chris smiled. "I think I'll take your advice."

The two girls walked back to the table. Terry hid a grin when Chris moved her chair a little closer to Chief's before sitting. Actor's arm went quite naturally back around the older girl's shoulders. Chief glanced at Actor for guidance before cautiously slipping an arm around the younger sister's shoulders. Chris leaned a little into him and bent an arm up to hold the young man's fingers in the hope of keeping his arm there.

They all talked and danced for another hour before Christine reluctantly looked at her watch.

"I should be getting home," she said.

"You taking the tube?" Terry asked.

"No," Chris shook her head. "I'll catch a cab before they quit for the night."

As she rose from her seat, Chief stood also. "I'll go with you," he said, adding hurriedly, "Just to make sure you get home okay."

"Thank you," smiled Christine. "That's very nice of you." She turned to Actor and Terry. "Thank you for letting us join you. I enjoyed it."

"It has been a pleasure," replied Actor, standing.

"Nice to get to spend some time with you, Sister," added Terry. "You really need to get out to the mansion more often."

"I'll work on that," replied the girl with an impish smile.

GGGGG

Chief escorted Christine out of the hotel and flagged a cab. After giving the driver the address and getting settled in the back, Chris carefully placed her hand over Chief's on the seat between them. He turned his hand and entwined his fingers with hers.  
"I'm glad you saw me, Rainey," said Chris almost shyly. "I've had a wonderful evening."

"I have too," said Chief. He hesitated a moment. "Uh, I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?"

Chris turned her head and looked at him with a delighted smile on her face. "I would love to." She dug in her clutch to no avail. "I don't have a pencil or paper. Terry has my number. She'll give it to you."

"French okay?"

"French is fine."

"I'll get the reservations tomorrow and call you, if that's all right?" said Chief.

Chris nodded. They spent the rest of the ride in silence, but their hands remained clasp together. When they arrived at Christine's building, Chief got out and walked her to the door. They stopped and looked at each other, both a little awkward. 

"I guess I better go," said Chief. "The meter's runnin'. I'll call you tomorrow."

"I'm looking forward to it," said Chris softly.

Chief was uncertain, but he took the chance and leaned over to give the girl a quick kiss on the cheek. The smile on her face reassured him. With a grin, he turned and bounded down the steps as she stepped through the door into the foyer.   
She stood and watched out the window as he got back in the cab and then watched it until it turned the corner at the end of the block. The smile was still on her face as she walked up the stairs to her flat. 

GGGGG

It wasn't long after the other two had departed Actor and Terry went back to the suite. In the main room, Terry slipped out of her high heels and stretched her feet. She watched Actor go to the telephone and dial a number. Curious, she watched. He spoke softly to someone in French and gave a laugh. After a short conversation, he hung up and turned to see her curious expression.

"I obtained reservations at the restaurant for Chief and Christine tomorrow night," he explained, though he was not obliged to explain to Teresa any phone calls he might make.

"Are they still open?" asked Terry. 

"No," replied Actor, "but Henri is still there."

Terry didn't ask anything more. She wondered if Henri was a friend. Actor did not seem to have many friends, but he did have a lot of contacts. She peeled the long gloves off and headed for her bedroom. Actor was behind her on the way to his. She paused outside her door.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening, Actor," Teresa said. "You make a pretty good mio marito."

"I am glad you approve," he replied wryly. "It has been a most enjoyable evening," he tempered the tone.

He reached a hand out to tip her chin up. Terry was a little surprised when his lips descended on hers in a soft, sensuous kiss. She returned it, sorry when it ended. The con man turned and went to his room. Terry went into hers, a thoughtful look on her face.  
Actor slipped under the covers and lay on his back, alone, in his bed. He was wide awake. The evening had been more enjoyable than he had expected. Teresa made a wonderful companion; intelligent, comical, irreverent at times . . . And she felt so good in his arms on the dance floor. She was probably the best dance partner he had ever had. He wondered how she would feel in his arms as a lover? He felt there was a fire in her that was carefully banked and just waiting for the embers to be stirred. Unfortunately, he dared not stir them. She was not one to trifle with. And if he did, it was a sure ticket back to the Rock. Garrison would never tolerate a convict becoming involved with one of his sisters. Actor thought about the kiss. She had returned it with as much interest as he had. It made him wonder what she was thinking alone in her bed. Oh, he definitely needed to find a woman to satisfy his needs tomorrow. Besides, Teresa was too young. Who was he kidding? Young or not, he still wanted her. Of course, she probably did not want him. She was just playing the game and probably thinking it was safe.

In the room next door, Terry lay in her bed, thinking about the Italian. The more circumspect waltzes had been delightful, but the slow dances, tucked up against him had been wonderful, with the feel of his strength, his unique scent combined with a lightly musky aftershave, his cheek against her forehead . . . and his warm hand kneading her derriere. His kisses in the ballroom had been lazily sensuous. The one at the bedroom door had been downright arousing. She envied whoever was the fortunate woman to be his bed partner tomorrow night. Older, she was sure. So, there was an age difference between them. That just meant he was more knowledgeable and more experienced. Unfortunately, Actor had made it perfectly clear on more than one occasion he found her too young for his tastes. With a snort, Terry rolled onto her side and hugged one of the oversized pillows to her. Blasted man was dangerous. Craig had once warned her Actor was the most dangerous of the group. Big brother didn't know how right he was.


	4. Chapter 4

Terry walked into the living room late the next morning, barefoot in her skirt and sweater, her hair hanging damply behind her. She wandered over to the breakfast cart and lifted a lid off one of the trays. The eggs and sausage were cold. She replaced the lid, took off another, and selected a cheese Danish. Casino and Goniff were sprawled on the couch, nursing hangovers from the looks of them. Chief was sitting in one of the chairs with his eyes closed.

“Morning, Love,” said Goniff, casually.

“Morning, Goniff,” replied Terry. She pulled a chair out from the table and sat down in easy reach of the breakfast cart. “You know what’s the best thing about this place?” she asked to nobody in particular. “The hot water. It’s so nice to be able to take a long, hot shower.”

Casino snorted in amusement, “Hey Babe, you better have left some hot water for His Majesty or you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“He isn’t even up yet, is he?” said Terry without concern.

The sound of running water came from one of the bathrooms. Terry paused in mid bite of Danish.

“You better find someplace to hide,” said Chief without opening his eyes.

Terry brushed it off. She hadn’t taken all the hot water. At least she didn’t think so. It wasn’t long after that the sound of water stopped. Casino’s chortle of laughter made Terry turn around. A glowering Actor stood in the doorway, hair wet, clad only in a white towel tied around his hips.

“Who used all of the hot water?” he demanded. “I come here, I at least expect to have a nice hot shower.”

The other four people in the living room studiously avoided his glare. The big Italian looked around the room and noted Terry’s wet hair. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. Terry shot a glance at him and knew she had been found out.

“Sorry, Actor, I didn’t think you’d be up much before noon.”

With controlled graciousness, Actor smiled, “That is quite all right, Little One. I understand a woman must be indulged when it comes to her bath.”

Terry’s eyes narrowed. She still wasn’t sure she appreciated being called ‘Little One’ by him and she hated when he became condescending. As Actor turned to go back to the bedrooms, Terry plucked a scone off the breakfast cart and hefted it like a baseball.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” warned Casino in amusement.

Actor turned back. Terry was buttering a scone, not looking at him. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, turning and walking away. The men all started laughing.

By the time Actor had gotten himself dressed and groomed, Casino and Goniff had left already to hit the pubs. Terry had no understanding of how the two could spend half the day and all night in a pub and not get bored or drunk out of their skulls. Chief had gone out to walk around the many parks as was his usual habit.

Actor helped himself to a cup of tepid coffee from the server.

“Want me to call room service and get some fresh?” asked Terry.

Actor shook his head. “So, what are your plans for the day?” 

Terry shrugged, “I think I’ll go find a museum to wander through. Any suggestions?”

“There is the Ashmolean in Oxford that is having a showing of some of the lesser works from the National Museum,” said Actor.

“I like looking at pictures,” said Terry.

Actor gave her a pained look, “Pictures?” He shook his head. “Have you learned nothing from the books I have given you to study? Do you have any knowledge of the great painters?”

“I can tell a Rembrandt from a Van Gogh,” said Terry, slightly miffed.

“Would you like me to act as your tour guide?” offered Actor.

Terry looked at him in surprise. “I would like that, but I had all your attention last evening. I can keep myself occupied. You must have other things you would like to be doing.”

Actor grinned. “The ‘other things’ I would like to be doing usually are not available until the evening. I need to make a couple phone calls, then I will be happy to take you to the art museum, if you wish.”

Terry nodded. “I will go change.”

Terry returned a few minutes later, wearing an afternoon dress and comfortable shoes. Actor was still on the telephone. He looked up and Terry motioned silently she would go back to the bedroom until he was done. He shook his head and motioned her to have a seat. Terry sat on the couch and openly listened to his half of the conversation.

“I have obtained reservations at the Savoy for dinner tonight at 8:30. May I call for you at eight, Elizabeth? . . . Wonderful. I am looking forward to tonight also, Darling.” He hung up the phone.

“Elizabeth?”  
Actor looked at her. “Yes, Elizabeth.” He wondered what she was asking.

Terry looked faintly amused. “What happened to Marilee?”

Actor understood now. “Ah, Marilee is just a pleasant diversion when I am in the mood for something light and frivolous. Elizabeth is old world and old money.”

Terry nodded. “Upper class.”

“Yes, you could say that.”

Terry glanced at the infamous little black book. “And just how many names do you have in there?”

Actor raised an eyebrow with a smile. “A gentleman never divulges that information.”

Terry grinned. The man was incorrigible. She changed the subject. "Okay, how are we getting to Oxford and do we have time?"

"We take the tube to Paddington and it is an hour by train from there. That will give us a few hours there."

So it was, Terry found herself in an empty first-class compartment, alone with Actor. It never ceased to amaze her how he could arrange the things he did. They sat facing each other next to the window. As they left London, Terry became fascinated with the rural scenery. 

Actor found himself watching the girl across from him. Thankfully, she was not one of those women who felt the need to chatter all the time. He soon found his eyes growing heavy. He had slept fitfully during the night thanks to his body's needs and his mind working overtime. The gentle swaying of the train and rhythmic clack of the wheels put him to sleep.

Terry glanced at the man and did a double take with an affectionate smile. He had moved to lean against the window. The occasional bump jarred him to not quite wakefulness. Terry rolled up her coat and rose to carefully support Actor's head and place the makeshift pillow between him and the window. He did not awaken, by now used to her touch from her caring for him with the concussion. She allowed him to sleep until the call for 'Oxford - 5 minutes.' Gently, she shook his knee and called his name.

He came awake in an instant, surprised at the pillow and the scenery outside. He recognized they were coming into Oxford. "Teresa . . ."

"It's okay," she said unperturbed. "If you're tired, we don't have to stay long."

"I am quite refreshed," the con man said cheerfully. I'm afraid I was not much of a travel companion, though."

Terry shook her head, "I was too busy looking out the window." She didn't mention half of that time she had been studying him while he slept. She took back the coat he shook out for her and followed his frowning gaze out the window.

The countryside was pockmarked with craters and damaged buildings.

Quietly in confusion she remarked, "I thought they said Oxford hadn't been bombed?"

"That is what they have been saying," agreed Actor. "Obviously they lied." He hoped the ages old architecture remained undamaged.

He obtained a taxi for them and watched Terry in amusement as she was glued to the window while they were driven through the historic town. He identified the various buildings for her.

"Is there any place you haven't been?" she asked with a delighted laugh.

"Montana," he replied readily.

"Well, you'll just have to come visit us after the war," she said.

"I would like that."

Terry allowed Actor to lead her through the museum. He was a wealth of information. She learned more from him in the couple hours they were at the museum than she had learned from the books she had studied in school. For his part, Actor was again pleasantly surprised at his companion. She soaked up the information like a sponge and asked pertinent questions.

They entered another wing of the museum and Actor spotted a painting that was very familiar. He guided Terry over to it. She watched him study the painting closely, more closely than any of the others so far.

“What?” she asked in a whisper. "A forgery?"

Actor glanced casually around and waited until some other people had moved away. He whispered down to her, “No. About eight years ago, I acquired that painting and sold it to a very wealthy man in Nice. I wonder how it ended up here.”

Terry shot a startled look up at him and whispered back, “You stole that painting from the museum?”

“I did not steal it,” he whispered indignantly. “A man in Paris had it in his private collection. The gentleman in Nice wanted it. I was merely the middleman in the exchange.”

“For a very handsome profit, I am sure,” said Terry.

“Of course. That is how it is done, cara.” Terry chuckled in amusement. “What is funny?” asked Actor curiously.

“I was just thinking I am definitely not in Montana anymore,” said Terry. “And am I ever getting an education.”

“There is nothing wrong with learning about the finer things in life,” said Actor.

“And how to acquire them,” added Terry.

Actor looked at her and the corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.

All too soon for Terry's taste it was time to return to London. This time, Actor stayed awake and regaled her with a history and some anecdotal stories of Oxford.

GGG

Terry watched Actor finish getting ready to go out. He almost felt bad for leaving the girl alone. Almost.

“Where are you going for dinner tonight?” he asked, trying to feel her out.

“I’m supposed to meet Goniff and Casino at the Mucky Duck. We’re having pub food tonight,” she grinned.

Actor frowned, “You must be very careful going into the Mucky Duck. If they aren’t there, you get out of there immediately. There is a strong possibility they will not be there.”

“If they aren’t, I’ll just come back and eat in the restaurant downstairs or call room service.”

“Are you going to be all right by yourself?”

Terry was amused, “Of course. I will have the suite to myself. I will get a glass of wine, my book, and a long, uninterrupted bubble bath.”

Actor pulled a roll of money out of his pocket and peeled off a couple bills, holding them out to her. “Here, you might need this for dinner.”

Terry shook her head. “I have money. I’m fine. Besides, if you are taking Elizabeth to the Savoy, you will probably need that.”

“I have more than enough.” He took her hand and put the money in it. She shook her head and accepted it rather than argue with him.

“How do I look?” he asked, straightening his shoulders even more and giving the girl a haughty look.

“Caro, if you looked any better, I might not let you out of here,” she said teasingly. He raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled affectionately, “Really, you look very handsome and aristocratic, Count Mancini. Now don’t keep the woman waiting. And have fun.”

He paused at the door, “Oh, I intend to.” His eyes twinkled, “If only all my countesses were so understanding of their husband.”

“Oh, get out of here, you rake,” laughed Terry.

After the door closed behind him, she looked at the money in her hand and choked. He had given her a hundred pounds. She wondered what it was he thought she was going to eat, an entire cow?

Christine showed up at the door a few minutes after the Italian had left. Terry let her sister in and nodded approval at the black dress she was wearing.

"So where were you all afternoon?" Chris asked, draping her coat over the back of a chair.

"Oxford."

"Oxford?" Chris looked at her older sister skeptically. "What on earth were you doing in Oxford?"

"Actor took me to a museum," replied Terry matter-of-factly.

"Oh, did he now?" teased Chris.

"Yes, he did."

"I saw him on his way out in the tux," the younger girl said meaningfully. "He was looking very pleased about something." 

"Ah yes," said Terry with an exaggerated sigh. "Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?" Chris looked at her sister with a frown.

"Elizabeth," replied Terry dramatically. "Dinner at the Savoy and a very long dessert."

"Meaning?" asked Chris to be sure.

Terry looked at her with exasperation. In a whisper she said, "He went out to get laid. Which is a tad better than Casino's saying 'to get his itch scratched'."

"Terry, that is disgusting!"

"What? The act or what Casino said?"

Chris gave her sister a dirty look.

Chief emerged from the bedroom he shared with the topic of the girls' conversation. He was wearing the same suit as the night before. His presence and the approving look he gave to Christine, successfully put a stop to the girls' line of conversation.

Terry ushered them on their merry way and went in her bedroom to change into a skirt and sweater. She had to shake her head in amusement. Boy, from escargot to a pint of ale. Coming to London with the guys was giving her a wide range of experiences.


	5. Chapter 5

Terry took a deep breath before entering the Mucky Duck. She was wearing her skirt and blouse. At the Fox or the Doves she was comfortable now going in wearing her pants and boots, but this was London. She moved past the blackout curtains and stepped to the side along the wall to survey the interior. It was smoky and noisy, just Casino's type of place. Unfortunately, she could not find Casino or Goniff in the crowd of young bucks, obviously loose women, and rough working-class men. It wasn't the Doves and it most definitely wasn't the Fox.

Actor's words echoed in her head. "If they are not there, you get out of there immediately." Well, they weren't here. A brief tightening of her throat was forced down to be replaced by gritty determination. She had been in worse bars in Montana and was no stranger to a bar fight either. She would give the boys a few minutes, then she would leave.

That thought in mind, she pushed her way to the bar. The red-haired bar tender gave her a once over before asking what she would have.

"A half of mild, please," Terry replied placing her money on the bar. 

She picked up the glass of ale and took a tentative sip. It was warm and strong. She wondered if she would ever get used to British beer. Turning sideways to the bar, she watched the door and slowly sipped her drink. The most she figured she could stretch the glass of ale out would be a half hour. By the time she was getting down to the bottom of the glass there was still no Casino or Goniff.

A head came up too close to hers from behind and whiskey breath assaulted her nose. A voice spoke softly and coaxingly in her ear, "I have a place down the road. Wot say we go have our own little party, eh Love?"

"I'm not interested," said Terry. "Please leave me alone."

"Aw, now, I'm askin' real nice like."

"And I'm telling you to bugger off," said Terry firmly. She felt anything but firm. She was in a quandary. If she stayed, the guy would continue to annoy her. If she left, alone, chances were he'd follow her. A hand grasped her shoulder none too gently.

"That's no way to be." It was said with a touch of anger.

"Get . . . your . . . hand off of me." She hoped the tremor was not in her voice.

Casino and Goniff walked into the bar. Some instinct he couldn't name caused the safecracker's eyes to pivot to the bar. He saw Terry and the look of not quite fear on her face. He immediately took in the man behind her with his fat paw on her.

"Aw, shit," he groaned. 

"Wot?" asked Goniff. The blond man followed his friend's gaze. "Bloody 'ell."

"I'll get her," said Casino. "You find us a table."

The safecracker strode up to the bar. The look of relief on Terry's face made him angrier at the man who was bothering her. "Get your hand offa her."

The slightly older man sneered at the American. "Wot's it to you?"

Casino wasn't ready for the reaction from Terry.

"He's my husband." She held her left hand up that still had the wedding ring on her third finger. 

Casino glared at the man, waiting for the first excuse for a fight. Again, he wasn't expecting it when Terry slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. Just because he wasn't expecting it didn't mean he wasn't ready to respond to it. Damn, the woman could kiss. She broke the kiss first and leaned her head back to give him an overly wide smile.

"Come on, Babe," said Casino, guiding her away.

They moved through the crowd toward Goniff's waving hand. The pickpocket had somehow found them a table. Casino kept an arm around Terry's back, hand possessively on her hip. She leaned into him.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Oh, any time, Baby," he replied sincerely. For that kiss, he'd have been happy to take on the entire bar. He held out a chair for her at the table.

Goniff waited until she was seated to lean over and ask, "You all right there, Love?"

"Fine," replied Terry with a smile. Somehow neither man believed that. "So, how's the food here?"

"They 'ave a steak and kidney pie that actually 'as a bit o' meat in it," said Goniff.

"Yeah, if yuh like kidneys," groused Casino. "I'd rather have the bangers and mash."

"You are a meat and potatoes kinda guy," teased Terry. "I'll have the bangers and mash too."

Casino eyed her. She seemed to have recovered from her little encounter. He just couldn't get the sight of the apprehension on her face out of his mind. Now he knew for sure she hadn't gotten over the attempted rape. The rest of the evening went uneventfully. The safecracker kept an eye on the woman beside him. She had settled herself and was enjoying the food and the sometimes raucous bantering of the two men. 

They had been there about three hours when Casino suggested a change in venue. The women they had been with the night before were planning on returning to the Golden Goose. Goniff was all for that. They left the noisy pub behind for the quiet sidewalk.

Terry pulled her coat closer around herself. "Well, Boys, I think I'm going to take my leave of you," she said. "There's a bubble bath calling me and Actor won't be there to complain about the hot water."

"Hey, that's right on our way," popped up Goniff brightly. "We'll walk with you."

"Uh, yeah," said Casino, catching on a tad slowly. "We'll drop you off." By the look on the girl's face, Terry knew going by way of the Windsor was not the short way to the Golden Goose. He reached for her hand. "Come on, Babe," he said. "You can keep us company."

Terry smiled. "Be happy to." She reached for Goniff's hand.

The three ambled down the street, generally joking and cutting up amongst themselves. Terry left the men at the door to the Windsor, giving both a hug and thanking them for a good time. They stayed and watched through the revolving glass door until Terry had disappeared from sight before going back the way they had come.

GGGGG

Chief was acutely aware of the young woman beside him, an unexpected tightness in his chest left him a bit breathless. He wanted to touch her but was afraid that might not be welcome. But some of his tension eased when she tucked her hand snugly in his, as they strolled down the sidewalk. She had a smile on her lips, accented by a faint touch of lipstick. This was the first time he had seen her with her hair pinned up and that added to his tension. He was used to the dark tresses falling straight down her back. It still amazed him that she had never shown any sign of fear when with him. She must know his history. Surely Terry had told her and that certainty increased his anxiety. Crystal just seemed to take him at face value and appeared to like whatever it was she saw in him. That mystified him, adding to his inner turmoil.

They reached the restaurant, waiting for another couple to exit before Chief held the door for Chris. She seemed to hesitate slightly when she looked around at the candlelit tables and white linen tablecloths. The maitre d’ approached with a welcoming smile.

"Mr. Sands, your table is ready," he said.

"Thank you," said Chief. Actor sure knew how to set things up.

The maitre d’ led the young couple to the small room with the single table where Chief had dined the night before. The Indian wondered if this was the Italian's table too. Remembering his lessons from the previous night, he seated Chris before taking the seat across from her where he could enjoy watching her. They accepted the menus and were left to make their choices.

Chief pretended to be looking at the menu, instead mentally reviewing what he needed to remember to do – and not to do. He knew he was no good at small talk but had rehearsed some things to say. All he needed to do was make sure that he didn’t say them at the wrong time.

After a second, Chris peeked over the top of her menu. "Uh, Rainey, can you read this?"

"No," he admitted, "but I know what I want."

The woman seemed to accept that and went back to her perusal of the menu. When the waiter came, Chief nodded for Chris to give the man her order. No way was he going to attempt to speak the French words. The girl fluently ordered the onion soup, the fish, and a glass of white wine. Chief then ordered the soup, the veal and changed the glass of wine to a carafe. He remembered Actor's lesson on wine.

After the waiter left, Chief looked at Chris with curiosity. "No escargot?"

Chris shook her head. "I have to be in the mood for snails. Besides, I like French Onion Soup. Terry's the snail eater."

They both chuckled. The bread came promptly, warm and without sawdust. Chief noted with some amusement the butter was in the usual ration amount. He did not take offense at that, just thinking with admiration how Actor always managed to get special favors.

The two made it through the bread and soup on talk about London and the parks Chief frequented. Chris asked about the deer at the estate and Chief gave her details of what he had seen of them. When the entrees arrived, Chris asked him to tell her about the area he had grown up in.

"Did you live on a res?" she asked casually. Surprised at the slang, he hesitated before answering so she inserted quickly, "Our ranch is half on the Blackfoot res."

"Yeah," he replied. "Ours probably wasn't as nice as yours."

"I don't know," said Chris, taking a sip of wine. "I don't think any of them are that great. The Blackfoot reservation is flat grassland up to the foothills of the Rockies. Some of the older folk still live in teepees. The rest live in whatever they can make."

"Some of our old people still live in guughas." He described what a guugha looked like and went on to tell her about the rugged, rocky, arroyo-laced land where he had grown up.

Crystal grinned at him. "I bet you hated the Indian school. Monty did."

"It was bad," admitted Chief. "They tried to take the Indian out of us."

"That's what Monty said," replied Chris. "He ran away a lot. That's how we got him."

"I did too." The girl was easy to talk to. She was so matter of fact about everything and she seemed to know what she was talking about. That had to be Monty's influence. He found himself relaxing, enjoying the conversation.

"You should have run away up by us." Chris had finished eating and was sipping at the wine.

"I did," said Chief. "They caught me. I was in Montana, tryin' to get to Canada."

Christine's eyebrows rose at that, but before she could ask anymore about it, the waiter came and removed their plates while another waiter offered a plate of pastries. She glanced at Chief.

"Do you think we could split one?" she asked. "I don't want to eat a whole one."

"Sure," replied Chief. "You pick it out."

She chose a napoleon and watched it being delicately divided in half and placed on separate plates. The two ate in silence but kept exchanging grins.

After the bill was paid, Chief was surprised to see he had money left over. He wondered what he could do to prolong the evening. He was enjoying the girl's company and she seemed to be enjoying his.

He helped her into her coat and escorted her out. Once on the sidewalk, they looked in both directions.

"Uh, you need to get back or anything?" asked Chief.

Chris shook her head. "Not really. The boys have a poker game going on. Noisy and a lot of beer."

Inwardly pleased, Chief nodded in the direction away from the hotel. Chris tucked her hand back in his and they slowly strolled away.

"I bet London was nice before the war," mused the girl. "The parks were probably lit and we could have walked through them."

"I still do," admitted Chief. "But it's too dangerous to take you there at night."

They walked a couple more blocks and spotted a movie theater. There was still a line of people waiting to go in.

"You want to go see a movie?" asked Chief.

"Okay," Chris nodded, enthusiasm in her voice. They joined the line and as it moved forward she asked. "Do you know what the movie is?"

"No," replied Chief. He started to step away to run up and find out, but his sleeve was caught by the young woman's hand.

"Wait, Rainey," said Chris, pulling on his sleeve. Almost shyly, she said, "It really doesn't matter what the movie is." Her mouth curved up in a smile, the moonlight showing the radiance in her eyes. The warmth of her expression made him catch his breath and reassured him that everything was going to be all right. He half-smiled back at her, unaware she could see the matching warmth in his eyes.

"Guess it'll have to be a surprise," he said.

Chief paid for their tickets and escorted Chris into the dim movie theater. She led him over to the left side near the back. Choosing a row of empty seats, she pulled his hand and went to the last seats next to the wall. He helped her out of her coat, but when he would have arranged it behind her; she took it and laid it across her lap. 

They sat through the newsreels and the propaganda cartoons and finally Casablanca came on. Chief had to admit Chris knew how to pick a seat. There was no one in front of them or behind them and one older woman on the other end of their row. Nice and private. Primly, they watched the movie. The theater was cold and eventually Chris opened her coat and spread it across both of them.

"A little chilly," she whispered. 

"Yeah," he agreed. 

Should he? Would she object? Slowly he picked up his arm and put it around her shoulders along the back of the seats. She leaned into his shoulder and tucked the coat up under their necks.

"That's better," she whispered. "Thank you."

"Sure."

His fingers moved lightly back and forth over the soft skin of her upper arm as she snuggled in with her head next to his chin. A faint scent of a light woodsy perfume teased his nose. Chief tried to turn his attention back to the movie, but the girl beside him held his interest. It must have been mutual because before long her cheek burrowed against his shoulder at an angle that was not conducive to watching the screen. He wanted so bad to kiss her, but she was the Warden’s little sister and the man would do more than scalp him if he did. After a while, Crystal’s head turned back to watch the movie again. So much for that chance, thought Chief, disgusted with himself.

They stayed that way through almost the entire movie. At the last scene, Chris turned her head back into Chief’s shoulder. He tilted his head to look at her.

“I know how it ends,” she whispered, tilting her head back.

They were practically nose to nose. Chief looked at her face in the dim light from the movie screen. Her eyes were on him and her lips were barely parted. The temptation was too great. He moved in a little closer . . . and stopped. They watched each other. Suddenly, Chris darted in for a quick kiss. She pulled back a little and looked at him. Now he leaned in for a brief soft kiss. They pulled back and both grinned. 

The lights came on and most of the audience stood while someone played “God Save the King”.

Chief leaned back, eyes still on the girl. Christine’s cheeks were pink above an impish grin, but her eyes were unrepentant.

“Come on,” he said, not quite able to suppress a happy smile. “We better get you home.”

“Good idea,” she agreed.

They took a taxi to her flat. This time there was a bit more space between them, but their hands were clasped. Chief walked her to the door and paused. 

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Rainey. I really enjoyed the evening.”

“So did I,” he replied. This time he gave her a real kiss, soft and gentle, which she returned. Pulling back, he said quietly, “You better go in.”

Chris nodded and with a smile let herself into the foyer. Chief turned and walked back to the taxi, a smile on his face.

When he entered the suite, there was still light coming from under Terry’s door. It was too quiet for Casino and Goniff to be there.

“Chief?”

“Yeah,” he called back.

“You have a good time?” asked Terry.

“Yeah, it was good.” He tried to keep his voice nonchalant.

“What did you guys do after dinner?” It was said in a conversational, not accusatory manner.

“We went to a movie.”

“Good. What was playing?”

“Casablanca.” Chief headed for his bedroom.

“At least it had a happy ending.”

“Yeah.”

It was a good thing he couldn’t see Terry’s face. She pressed her fist to her mouth to stop herself from snorting with laughter as she thought of how she was going to tease Crystal about the 'happy ending' of Casablanca. She fell back on the pillow, smiling broadly, happy for the two of them.

GGGGG

Actor sat back in his chair at the linen covered table in the River Restaurant. It was a shame the blackout curtains must hide the view of the Thames. The brief glimpses from the moon would have sent diamond sparkles glittering across the water. However, the view across the table from him was more inviting. The blonde woman, with hair perfectly coiffed, was as elegant and sophisticated as he was. She was wearing a deep sapphire blue cocktail dress that set off her sparkling blue eyes. A sapphire pendant graced her aristocratic neck, flanked above by diamond teardrop-shaped earrings. The sapphire and diamond ring on her right ring finger glittered in the candlelight as she delicately sliced tiny bites from her baisers de Vierge with her spoon and sensually slipped them from the spoon into her mouth with her pink lips. Teresa would have had the ice cream, meringue and crystallized rose petals and violets devoured in a heartbeat. Actor stopped that vision in his mind. Why had thoughts of Teresa entered his mind? Possibly because he had brought her here on occasion? He dismissed thoughts of the younger woman and concentrated on the more mature, sophisticated, and sexually adventurous one in his company.

His liaison with Elizabeth was so uncomplicated. They were two of a kind and as such, understood each other well. Elizabeth, widowed, had a fortune of her own before the untimely demise of her wealthy husband. With no need to marry and restrict herself to one man, she enjoyed the company of several men, always careful to keep them apart, but adamant that each was aware from the start he wasn’t her sole companion. Her requirements were dinner in a high class restaurant and an occasional evening at the opera or some other artistic affair. Her lovers were chosen for their culture and sophistication, but primarily they knew how to please a woman and were well equipped for that activity.

This would be Actor’s third encounter with Elizabeth. By the end of their first, they realized theirs would be a lasting, though uncommitted, relationship. Actor had been impressed on his second visit to find a decanter of his cognac and a supply of his pipe tobacco. No demands were made of him other than she be given the pleasure of watching him disrobe. She made it clear in a subtle fashion that she greatly admired his physique and his talents and attributes.

At thirty-nine, she still had all the right curves in all the right places. The woman took great care in keeping her skin soft and her body inviting. Thoughts of what he would be doing later to that inviting body sent a flush of warmth through the man’s core. He kept his desire in check, knowing the fulfillment of that desire would then be all the sweeter.

The ride back to Elizabeth’s flat proved to be too long and at the same time not long enough. In the darkened interior of the taxi, Actor felt a feminine hand slide across the top of his leg and fingertips lightly glide back and forth over the fabric covering his inner thigh. A single raised eyebrow and a wry smile sent the hand slowly caressing its way back as a knowing smile answered his.

At the flat, Actor removed Elizabeth’s fur wrap, carefully draping it over the back of a chair. As he removed his overcoat, she poured him a small cognac in a snifter. He accepted it and a kiss before settling in a wing-backed chair while she disappeared down the hall. Savoring the smooth spirits, he smiled in anticipation of what would be coming.

The flat was tastefully decorated with fairly good quality furniture that was well maintained and surprisingly comfortable. Elizabeth spent most of her time at her country home, away from the bombings. Vases of fresh flowers from her garden there were stationed on various tables throughout the room, accentuating the expanses of wood and plush fabric rather than giving it a frilly look. The woman had style.

“Vittorio Dear, are you coming to bed?” a seductive voice questioned from a room down the hall.

“Of course, Darling,” he replied.

He rose and left the empty glass on the sideboard before strolling slowly down the hall, making her wait now; a crooked smile on his face. He entered her boudoir and paused to watch her. She was sitting at the dressing table in her negligee with her back to him. Her hands reached up to unpin her hair and then took a silver-backed hairbrush and began brushing it from roots to tip, slowly and seductively. He waited until she looked at him in the mirror before pulling off his white silk scarf and letting it fall with deliberate carelessness on the foot of the bed. With her eyes still on him, he very slowly pulled undone his black tie. They smiled at each other gently through the mirror, each knowing they were dancing a dance as old as life itself.

GGGGG

While Actor was exercising a few of his many talents in a warm soft bed, Lt. Craig Garrison sat alone on a hard metal bench in the area off the mess in the cold stark belly of a sardine can. Normally, he would be up with the captain, watching the workings of the sub with interest. Tonight, he was in no mood to be around anyone. He had been yanked away from Jenny because his men's expertise was needed, leaving his partner and girlfriend on her own. That was not saying Jenny wasn't capable, but he didn't like her being alone undercover. They had barely had time to hold hands and share a quick, unfulfilling kiss during the short time they had been together this trip before he had been ordered back to England.

Damn, the men were on leave in London; probably he thought with a derisive snort getting the restorative recreation he needed so badly himself. Most certainly Actor would be enjoying himself. Maybe not Chief or Goniff. Casino seemed to have no trouble in that area, though his style was very different from the suave Italian's. Craig figured he would have no trouble rounding up the Indian and the Englishman. If Casino wasn't around, Goniff would surely know where he was. Actor was going to be a different story. The con man was very secretive about the women he had dalliances with. As secretive as he was with the men, he was just as secretive with his women. No one knew what alias he used when he was squiring a prospective bedmate. Finding him was going to be a problem. All Garrison knew about the mission was that all of his men were required. And even if Actor wasn’t key to the up-coming mission, the man’s presence did lend some degree of comfort to Craig’s leadership of the group.

Forgoing the stimulation of British navy coffee, Garrison leaned his head back against a bulkhead and tried to will himself to sleep. There would be little enough of that in the next few days. Sleep was not to come, his mind too wound up with the stress of maintaining two separate teams, one not aware of the other. He had told Jenny about his men but had no intentions of telling his men about Jenny. He would have to go and learn to speak Norwegian, he thought with disgust. But if he hadn’t, he would never have met Jenny.  
Jennifer Harkness. She worked for SOE, at first as a translator and now as a spy. She knew more languages than he did. Intelligent, beautiful, strong; all the qualities he liked in a woman. Jenny. Tall, slim, and athletic, with chestnut hair and eyes the color of the sea. She passed herself off as being the daughter of a Scandinavian mother and Southern Irish father, though she was really British. She spoke flawless Norwegian and fluent Gaelic. That was what had landed her in the deep cover she was in. The Allies had needed someone who spoke Norwegian, understood German and would appear to be sympathetic to the Axis cause and could go in and out of the ‘bedrooms’ without drawing attention or be in danger of attack. Garrison could affect a Nordic look, speak both languages and was tough enough to take care of himself.

He hated the game they were forced to play. He hated every time he had to leave her behind. She was a chambermaid in what could only be called a cathouse, only not the kind of bordello he had been accustomed to in his youth in Rome. No, this place catered to high ranking German officers and anybody with a lot of money and a deviant nature. Strangely, she was relatively safe there. It was he who had to watch his back . . . literally. As her husband, he had a hand in black market goods. This proved to be advantageous for her employer and for certain German officers with expensive tastes. He would be gone for weeks at a time, supposedly arranging shipments and high-jacking goods. The goods he could deliver, courtesy of the SOE and Allied Command. This put him on very friendly terms with the officers, who tended to become loose with information discussed amongst themselves within the hearing of the trusted young man with the excellent German. Craig not only brought out information but imparted what the Allies wanted the enemy to know, in the guise of observing it or hearing it in his ‘travels’. Norway, being somewhat removed from Berlin, was a safer haven for the German officers who had a penchant for their own sex. Still, the penalties for being caught were usually terminal or worse. This made some of the officers ripe for blackmail or turning.

Craig and Jenny shared a tiny studio apartment several blocks from the ‘club’. It was close enough to walk to work, but far enough to be on the outskirts of the notorious district the club was in. The two agents had been instructed by their handlers not to fraternize, which was a little difficult when they shared a single room and small double bed. That lack of fraternization had lasted half of one restless night as each found themselves very attracted to the other. As much as they hated the business they were dealing in, the two looked forward to Craig’s arrival, to the time it brought them to be together. For a brief time, at night, they could pretend to forget the war and the sordid games it required them to play and take comfort in each other.

Craig had only been there a day when he was pulled out and returned to England for a mission with his men, not enough time for restorative recreation. With grim humor, he wondered what his men thought about his personal preferences. He avoided other women and showed no interest in joining his men when they invited him along on their forays after ‘skirts’. At least now, they’d quit asking. Actor was too discrete and guarded to comment openly on Garrison’s proclivities, but Casino wouldn’t be above shooting his mouth off behind Craig’s back to the others. Maybe they thought he preferred the type of business he dealt with in Norway. What a thought. 

On the rare occasions Jenny was brought back to London, Craig tried to meet her in another studio-type flat he had paid dearly to obtain and rent in another name for the two of them. He had been afraid the men would somehow find out about his secret stays in London. It had not occurred to him it would be his little sister who would discover them. He thought they had been careful, but obviously they had not been careful enough. Now both sisters knew. 

A cynical snort of laughter escaped him as he contemplated his middle sister. Poor Terry. He had done her a great disservice, accusing her of sleeping with his con man, when he knew in his heart she hadn’t. Still Actor was a very clever and dangerous con and attracted women like flies. Terry wasn’t just Garrison’s sister, she was also a woman. Until Jenny, Craig could not understand how she could flaunt convention and live in sin with Jake. Christine he could understand because she had been young and innocent and easily taken in. Now he knew how it was to be in love with a person and be unable to marry them, but still have to be with them. He had treated his sister like a slut, but in no way could he ever consider his sweet Jenny in that light. Maybe he had been younger and more naïve than his sisters. Maybe it was his quasi-Catholic upbringing. He was finding out you didn’t have to be married to be in a committed relationship, and you didn’t have to be committed to someone to marry them.

His musings had only increased the frustration he felt from being so close to Jenny and having to leave her, and kept him in a state of irritation. The thought of having to deal with his men’s annoyance at having their leave cancelled did not improve matters any. Casino was sure to be volatile and loud. Craig wondered what kind of screwed up mission they were going on this time. He glanced at his watch. In another four hours he was going to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

Eight o’clock the next morning, Lt. Craig Garrison, dressed in the full uniform that he had retrieved from G-2 after his briefing, strode up to the registration desk at the Windsor. He was not in a good mood. Col. Yates had been waiting for him at six o’clock, when he got off the plane at the military base he had been taken to from the sub pens. There was another mission that required the expertise of all four of his cons. He hadn’t even had a chance to go back to the mansion. Now he had to try to round up his wayward men, who could be anywhere.

“Is Count Mancini still registered here?” Craig asked the desk clerk.

The desk clerk smiled warmly, “Ah yes, the Count and Countess are still in the Westminster Suite. Shall I ring them for you, Lieutenant?”

“No,” said Craig. “I’ll just surprise them. You say the Countess is here too?

“Oh, yes, Sir,” smiled the man. “A lovely lady, the Countess is, Sir.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” said Garrison. 

He got on the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor, a scowl on his face. Countess! Man, Actor had balls bringing a woman up there. Well, he and his countess were going to get a piece of Garrison’s mind on that one. He got off the elevator and pounded on the door to the suite.

Terry was up, dressed and packed. She had called room service for breakfast. It seemed the waiter was getting a little loud. She opened the door and stared into her brother’s face. Craig stared back at her and then pushed into the room.

“What are you doing here?” asked Terry.

“Me? Just what the hell are you doing here?” He flung his hat on the table. “I told you to drop them off and pick them up. I did not tell you to stay with them, Countess.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Craig. What do you think we’ve been doing up here, having an orgy?” Terry faced him with hands on hips. “They have all been perfect gentlemen. So, what are you doing here? We aren’t due to leave until two this afternoon.”

“We have a mission.”

“Now?”

“Now!”

Terry walked back to the hall and pounded on one bedroom door. 

“Hey knock it off, Sister,” yelled Casino. “I just got to sleep.”

“Well, now you can get up and get dressed and get out here. We have company.”

“Who?”

“The Warden.” She heard something that vaguely sounded like ‘oh, shit’ before she turned around and yelled at the other door, “Chief!”

“I’m up,” called Chief.

Terry went back to the living room. Craig was glaring at her. He had heard her call him ‘Warden.’ “Where’s Actor?”

“Out,” replied Terry, not overly happy with his brusque mood.

The three other men came into the room. Casino and Goniff were looking quite the worse for wear. Chief was awake and alert.

“All right, just where is Actor?”

Casino gave Garrison a dirty look. “How should we know? You know Actor. He gets out his little black book and calls some dame and goes to get his itch scratched.”

Terry grimaced at the safecracker. “Casino, that is still the most disgusting description of that act I have ever heard.”

Craig rounded on her, “Then maybe you shouldn’t have come along with them.”

Terry just favored her brother with a disgusted look.

“Get packed. I’m checking you out,” ordered Garrison.

“Aw, come on, Warden!” growled Casino. “You gave us forty-eight hours.”

“And I’m taking them back. Move it, Casino.”

“We ain’t goin’ on another mission!” objected the safecracker strongly.

“You’ll go where I tell you to go, when I tell you to go! Now move it!”

Terry followed Chief into his bedroom and began packing Actor’s bag. He was going to be royally annoyed, not only with having his ‘leave’ interrupted, but having to drive back to the mansion in his tuxedo. As she was organizing things in his bag, she spotted the black book. A conniving grin came to her face. She picked it out and when Chief had his back turned, tucked it into her bra. She carried the bag out to the living room and retrieved hers also.

When everyone had arrived, Garrison looked at them all. “So nobody knows how to get hold of Actor?”

Again, Casino was the verbal one. “Come on, Warden. He never tells any of us where he goes or who he goes with.”

“’E always shows up when ‘e’s s’pposed to,” added Goniff. “And ‘e ‘ad six more ‘ours.”

“That’s just great,” said Craig, irritably. “We need him on this mission and we have to be on the way by two.”

“I might be able to locate him,” said Terry quietly.

Four pair of eyes fixed on her. “He told you where he was going?” asked Casino, incredulously.

“Not exactly,” said Terry. “Give me a little bit and I might be able to figure it out so you can go get him,” she said to Craig.

“Oh no,” said Garrison with grim delight. “You’re the one who wanted to play countess. You go get your count and get him to the mansion. You have two hours to find him and get back to the Mansion.”

Goniff fidgeted, “Uh, Warden. You really think it’s safe to send your sister to get between Actor and another woman?”

Craig grinned wickedly, “I really don’t care. Just so she gets him.” He held up the keys to the jeep. “I’m taking the car. You get the jeep,” he said to his sister.

Terry snatched the keys from his hand with a glare. As she walked past him, she spoke in his ear. “Now I know why they call you the Warden, Warden.”

“Get moving, Terry,” said Craig sternly.

The young woman stalked out of the hotel, muttering dire threats to her brother interspersed with oaths. It was darn cold out and she was wearing a skirt in an open jeep. She got behind the wheel and started the engine, pulling out before the men could get down to the Packard. If she stayed behind, she might be sorely tempted to run over her brother. 

Terry drove down the street until she found a café that was open for business. She went inside and slid into an empty booth, ordered a cup of coffee and had to make do with tea. The little black book was still stashed in her bra and she stealthily removed it. Her tea arrived quickly and she tried to smile at the waitress. Wasn’t the woman’s fault she was in a lousy mood.

Dumping watered down milk and a saccharin tablet in the hot drink, she opened the well used book to the first page. Oh my word, she thought as she stared at the page. It was in Actor’s flowing handwriting, the names alphabetical by last name followed by first name above an address and a telephone number. There were two letters beside each name. Initials of his aliases? It didn’t help her any because she only knew a few of his aliases and there could be any number of combinations of names.   
With a sigh, she started reading down the first page of the ‘A’s. There were no ‘Elizabeth’s, but the addresses had her eyebrows raised in disbelief. Couldn’t the man at least group them by country? Paris, Zurich, Oslo, Nice, and Cairo for crying out loud. Cairo? Carefully she worked her way through the book as she drank a second cup of tea. There were countries listed she had never even heard off. The blasted Italian must be a cross between Casanova and Don Juan, and he probably had both of those men beat. By the end of the book, she had found several ‘Elizabeth’s but only one with a London address. 

Terry went to a phone on the wall at the back of the café, close to the rest rooms. She put some coins in and dialed the number for an Elizabeth Rothschild. The phone rang and rang in her ear with no answer. It was the only possible Elizabeth, so the ladies’ man had to be there. He just couldn’t make this easy. Now thoroughly disgusted, Terry paid for her tea and asked the waitress for directions to the part of town the address listed.

Terry pulled up to the curb in front of an old stone row house in a wealthy neighborhood. She really did not want to do this. Steeling herself, she went up the steps. The outer door was unlocked so she stepped into the foyer and looked at the names on the mailboxes. Rothschild was on the second floor. She bounded up the stairs and stopped in front of the door. It took a second knock before someone answered.

The door opened a bit to reveal a very beautiful woman, about Actor’s age, in a silky flowing robe. Terry figured there wasn’t much else under it. The mussed long blonde hair gave a solid hint at the activity she had been engaged in with Actor. The woman looked at Terry questioningly.

“May I help you?”

“Ma’am, I am terribly sorry to bother you. This is extremely awkward.” Terry wasn’t quite sure how to proceed. “I am looking for a gentleman and thought he might possibly be here.” 

God, she didn’t even know what name he was using. She was spared from further fumbling when Actor stepped from the hallway behind the woman into the sitting room, wearing a short robe. His eyes widened with rage.

“What do you think you are doing here?” he demanded, the accent strong, a sure indication he was very angry.

Terry held her hands up, “I’m sorry. It was not my idea. I was sent to get you. The Lieutenant showed up. Your – uh – expertise is needed. I was told I had to get you and drive you back, Sir.” She tried the subservient role. 

Actor remained enraged. “And just how did you find me?” Terry wasn’t about to explain that one here and looked askance at him. “Never mind. I will deal with that later.” He eyed her. “Why were you sent? Why did the Lieutenant not come himself?”

“He was very unhappy to find me with the others,” said Terry. “This is my punishment.”

Elizabeth was delicately hiding an amused smile behind her fingers. “Won’t you come in? You must be cold?” she offered the girl.

“Oh, no thank you, ma’am,” said Terry quickly. “Thank you for your kind offer, but I believe it would be best if I waited in the jeep.”

“Jeep?” roared Actor.

Terry winced. “The Lieutenant took the car and made me take the jeep.”

Elizabeth took the girl’s hand and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind her. Actor turned and stormed back down the hall.

“I apologize again, Ma’am,” said Terry very embarrassed at the situation.

Elizabeth was trying very hard not to laugh as she watched Actor’s rigid back disappear in the direction of her bedroom.

Terry was very embarrassed at the situation. “I apologize again, Ma’am . . .,” she repeated.

“Elizabeth,” the woman introduced herself. “And what is your name?”

“Teresa,” replied Terry.

“Do you work with him?” asked Elizabeth.

“Sometimes, when I have to,” she replied in frustration, knowing that this mission with him was not going to be pleasant with the mood he was in.

“Are you sleeping with him?” asked the older woman in amusement.

“God, no, Ma’am!” exclaimed Terry.

“Too bad, Teresa.” The woman smiled. “He is very talented.”

“I will take your word for that, Elizabeth,” said Terry. “I’m really not his type.”

Elizabeth laughed at that, “Come now, if it breathes, is pretty and female, it is Vittorio’s type.” She looked the girl up and down. “And you fit those criteria.” Footsteps could be heard. “You really should try him,” she advised in a conspiratorial tone.

“I think not but thank you for the advice.”

Elizabeth glided over to Actor as he entered the room. He was still angry. Elizabeth slipped her arms around his neck and drew his head down for a passionate kiss. Terry turned away and took an inordinate interest in a flower arrangement on a side table.  
Elizabeth whispered in his ear, “Be kind, Vittorio. I think you have scared that poor girl to death.”

“As well she should be,” he grumbled.

“There will be other times, Darling,” Terry heard Elizabeth say. 

Terry turned back as the couple approached. She ignored Actor. “I apologize again, Elizabeth. Thank you for your graciousness.”

Elizabeth smiled, “Remember what I said.”

“I’m sure I will remember that.” Terry didn’t think she would ever forget this. 

Somehow, she was going to get even with her brother. That is if Actor did not kill her on the way back to the mansion. She happily endured Actor’s angry silence which lasted for three blocks until she pulled up to a stop sign.

“Just how did you find me?” he demanded to know.

Terry reached inside the neck of her blouse and pulled out the black book, holding it out to him. He practically snatched it from her. She shot a glance at him. His eyes were almost bulging with anger.

“I didn’t let Craig or any of the guys see it. They didn’t know I had it. I looked up every Elizabeth until I found one in London.”

“So you just had to drive right over and knock on the door?” The accent was still thick.

Terry shot him a look of pure anger. “I called. If you had answered the dang phone it would have been a lot easier.”

“It rang in the middle of -,” Actor stopped abruptly, ‘- an inopportune moment.”

Terry choked on a laugh, further enraging the man. “What’s the matter, Actor? Can’t you do two things at once?”

“Teresa!”

The con man sat in stony irate silence for the ride through London. By the time they had left the outskirts of the city the outside temperature had warmed up a bit, but Terry was still cold. It was after twelve and they still had a two hour drive to reach the mansion on schedule. Terry laid her foot on the gas pedal. They rode through the countryside without comment for twenty minutes.

"Must you drive like a maniac?" shouted Actor irritably over the roar of the wind as the jeep bounced through and dodged potholes.

Terry's lips clamped together as her foot slammed down hard on the brakes. The jeep squealed to a sliding halt, throwing the Italian forward, his hand catching the dashboard to keep from hitting the windshield. He turned angry eyes to her, but she just stared straight ahead.

"I have to have you back by two o'clock," she said with a steely voice. Now she turned to glare at the con man. "If you think you can drive any better and still get there on time then feel free to take the wheel."

Actor looked at his watch. It would be tight getting to the mansion in that timeframe, no matter who was driving. Still, his driving was better than Teresa's. "Switch," he said forcefully.

Terry got out and stalked around the back of the jeep while Actor crossed in front of it. Without a word, the Italian shoved the jeep into gear and took off with a squeal of tires. As far as Terry was concerned the ride was just as bouncy and swerving as when she was driving. A stealthy glance at the speedometer told her the con man wasn’t driving any faster than she had been. Despite that, they reached the estate with five minutes to spare.

The two strode into the mansion, rigid in anger and silent. Garrison stood in his office doorway and surveyed them with a grim smile of satisfaction. The two were most obviously at odds with each other. It went a little way in soothing his irritation.

Terry paused at the base of the stairs as Actor moved past her. She glared at her brother. "I don't suppose you packed me a bag while you were waiting?"

"No," he replied. "You're not going on this one."

"Well that's just fine with me!" 

She stormed up the stairs and into her bedroom. Her bag was sitting on her bed. She jerked it open, but carefully removed the ball gown and began putting away her clothes.

Garrison strode back into his office and shut the door.

The three cons sitting at the game table looked at each other.

“How the hell did she find him?” asked Casino in disbelief.

“Don’t know,” said Chief, wondering the same thing.

“She’s ruddy well got you beat,” said Goniff to Chief in admiration of the girl’s ability.

Casino chuckled. “I bet that was some jeep ride.”

“No bet,” said Chief.

Ten minutes later, Garrison emerged from his office, duffle bag in hand, still obviously unhappy.

"Actor!" Craig's voice came stridently up the stairs. There was no answer. "Actor! Get down here!" Garrison was in just as bad a mood as the Italian. There was still no answer.

Terry frowned and walked down the hall to the con man's bedroom. Actor was in his mission clothes, duffle bag packed and on the bed. He was trying to smooth the wrinkles out of his tux before hanging it up.

"Actor!"

"Go," said Terry. "I'll take care of it." He looked at her in a split second of indecision, then grabbed his bag and moved past her. "And Actor, find him a woman so maybe he'll get in a better mood. Not that it did anything for yours."

"Teresa, I swear . . .!"

"Yeah?" she shot back at him defiantly.

He stopped, lips tight together as he realized he would do nothing to her, and she knew it. Instead he turned and strode down the hall.

Terry watched him and realized she did not want anger to be the last thing between them if something should happen to him. "Hey!"

Actor paused at the end of the hall and looked back.

"Be careful," she admonished quietly.

The anger faded slightly. He gave a half-crooked smile. "Always."

Terry watched him disappear around the corner and heard him descend the stairs. She turned and went into his bedroom. The tuxedo had been laid out carefully atop his bed. Terry picked up where Actor had left off, smoothing the wrinkles in the black material with her hands. She picked up the pants and held them by the ends of the legs, trying to line up the creases before putting them on the pants hanger in the armoire. She smoothed the material of the jacket before hanging it up also.   
The tails of the white dress shirt were quite wrinkled. It would have to go into the wash. She was about to turn to put it in the dirty clothes hamper when she stopped and sat down on the bed, holding the garment and looking at it with a frown.   
Why had she been so concerned that Actor not be angry with her when he left. It wasn’t like she really meant anything to him. Yeah, he had spent quite a bit of time with her and seemed to enjoy it, but had it been just another one of his con jobs? The number of names in that little black book of his had been astonishing. She bet that every one of those women felt she was the most important to the man. That was what the con was. He made people see what they wanted to see and made himself into what they wanted him to be. So, what did he think she wanted him to be? Certainly not a lover. Not with that many women under his belt so to speak. If she were to ever take a lover again, not that she had any intention of doing that, it most certainly would not be a man who just looked at her as another conquest. And besides, her mind wandered, where did Actor get off being mad at her? It was Craig he should be angry with, not her. Oh, to hell with him, she thought with a snort of self-disgust. She rose from the bed and threw the shirt hard into the hamper before striding out of his room.


End file.
